Hello and welcome back to Desert Island Books. I am thrilled to have Carolyn Clarke joining us this month.
Carolyn is the founder and curator of https://henlitcentral.com/, a blog focused on ‘life and lit’ for women over 40. And Then There’s Margaret is her first novel. She has been an ESL teacher for over sixteen years and has co-authored several articles and resources with Cambridge University Press, MacMillan Education and her award-winning blog ESL Made Easy.
Stranded on a desert island might be fun if I had the necessities for survival and other items to keep me sane while breaking free from the matrix of modern society. Some of those items would be a bunch of books I haven’t read yet but want to read, and books I loved and would want to read again.
For starters, I’d like to read some of the movies/series I’ve enjoyed on screen featuring older protagonists struggling with real life challenges. I’m a fan of comedies but lately I’ve become a bigger fan of dramedies – books that have the perfect balance of drama and comedy. And I’m not talking light reads about living in a big city with a terrible boss and a wandering lover. I’m way past that and have gladly moved on. I want to read about issues that reflect my reality. Not the happily ever after. So, meaningless jobs, failing marriages, MIA kids and ageing parents all with characters that are flawed, genuine and most importantly, relatable, and real. For those on screen dramedies turned to books, here are a few I’d want to take with me.
French Exit by Patrick deWitt
While the movie wasn’t exactly a hit with movie goers and critics, I did enjoy the stellar performances of Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges. Although a little silly at times, this black comedy packed a punch examining what it’s like to fear the end of something and to resist the act of moving on. It was a surreal comedy and I look forward to reading the book.
Read the full interview
here!
